Process for manufacturing nicotine free cigarette substitute

ABSTRACT

A process for manufacturing a cigarette substitute, maintaining the taste and flavor of a typical commercially available cigarette utilizing: (1) the shredded leaves of Morus alba L, 1354MI; (2) shredded leaves of Synurus deltoids (MIT) NAKAI 3822G1; (3) shredded leaves of Berchemia berchemiaefolia (MAK). K01DZ, 2635 MI; (4) shredded leaves of Eucomonia ulmodies OLIVER, 2003M1; (5) and shredded leaves of herbs, is comprised of, including but not limited to: 1) washing; 2) primary drying; 3) steaming; 4) secondary drying; 5) shredding; and, 6) packing. The cigarette substitute of this invention is manufactured in normal cigarettes appearance, 20 each per pack. The substitute emits an undetectable amount of nicotine and no class “A” carcinogenic substance when consumed by a person. The cigarette substitute has a beneficial effect of cancer-resistance. It effects to cure any cigarette related poison imposed by heavy metals of mercury, nickel, and cadmium inherent with a typical commercially available cigarette. The cigarette substitute of this invention helps to quit smoking and eliminates the residual poisons from the blood stream of a pre-smokers.

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel process of manufacturing of a cigarette substitute, more specifically: a manufacturing process and treatments of a mixtures of shredded leaves of Morus alba L.1354MI, Synurus deltoids (MIT) NAKAI 3822G1, Berchemia berchemiaefolia (MAK). K01DZ 2635 MI, Eucomonia ulmodies OLIVER, 2003M1. and herbs to add the tastes like a normal cigarette, without emitting nicotine and a reduced amount of tar when consumed.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a pre-treatment process for a manufacture of a cigarette substitute from the leaves of selected plants with medical effects. It tastes just like a normal cigarette but contains an undetectable amount of nicotine, significantly depressed content of tar compared with that of a commercially available tobacco cigarette. It has a cancer-resisting effect. It cures any harmful effects of heavy metals.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,837 to Hirsch, et al. describes a drying process for increasing the filling power of tobacco material utilizing a tubular drier. The cut material is conveyed in a drying gas flow, dried within a tubular drying section and subsequently separated from the drying gas. The drying gas has at a feed point is at least 200 degree. C. and a flow velocity of at least 30 m/sec. The flow velocity of the drying gas at the charge point into the drying section is at the most 100 m/sec. Within the drying section the flow velocity of the tobacco material is also reduced. At the end of the drying section the drying gas has a flow velocity of at the most 15 m/sec and a temperature of, at the most, 130 degree. C.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,049 to Henderson, et al. illustrates a method and apparatus for automatically determining the moisture content of a tobacco sample. The apparatus utilizes a rotary drum dryer with internal agitating vanes. Electronic scales are used to weigh the sample before and after drying to determine and store the “wet” and “dry” weights of the sample. Based on the stored wet and dry weights the moisture content is determined.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,420 to Livingston illustrates a process for utilizing ethylene and heat to accelerate the yellowing of tobacco in a tobacco curing and drying process for coloring the tobacco at a temperature range of 100.degree. −120.degree. F. And applying a concentration of ethylene to the tobacco while the tobacco is subjected to this coloring temperature range.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,007 to Denier, et al. illustrates a tobacco treating including the steps of introducing tobacco to be dried into a restricted pressure and flow controllable system to be entrained by pressurized stream for pre-selected residence time before disentrainment there from, the steam being held at pre-selected minimum pressure and velocity to improve fill value and smoking quality of the tobacco.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,191 to Jewell, et al. discloses a process for reducing the moisture content of expanded tobacco while minimizing yield losses and reducing particle lamination while maintaining filling power. The process comprises drying the expanded tobacco at a temperature within the range of from about 250.degree. F. to about 650.degree. F. in the presence of an absolute humidity at a level above that which will provide a wet-bulb temperature of at least about 150.degree. F.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,353 to Brackmann illustrates a drying method of tobacco particles in heated rotary drum drier is improved by flowing air through the drum at a flow rate, usually at least 10 ft./sec. (3.25 m/sec), which imparts transnational or linear motion to the particles. The transnational motion causes the particles to become classified based on size and weight and thereby to cause smaller particles to pass through the drum at a faster rate than larger particles. In this way, smaller particles are less exposed to the drying heat than larger ones, so that over drying of small particles is avoided and overall filling power is improved.

[0011] All of the prior arts utilize high temperatures and pressure for drying tobacco leaves. None of the prior arts illustrate a drying of natural plant leaves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] It is the object of this invention to provide a novel pre-treatment process for manufacture of a cigarette substitutes, maintaining the taste and flavor of a regular cigarette, from the shredded leaves of Morus alba L, 1354MI, shredded leaves of Synurus deltoids (MIT) NAKAI 3822G1, shredded leaves of Berchemia berchemiaefolia (MAK). K01DZ, 2635 MI, shredded leaves of Eucomonia ulmodies OLIVER, 2003M1 and shredded leaves of herbs. The process of this invention is comprised of, including but not limited to: 1) a washing; 2) primary drying; 3) steaming; 4) secondary drying, 5) shredding; and 6) packing. The cigarette substitute of this invention is manufactured in a normal cigarette appearance, 20 each per pack. The cigarette substitute emits an undetectable amount of nicotine and no class “A” carcinogenic substance when consumed by a person. The cigarette substitute has beneficial effects of cancer-resistance It effects to cure the poison imposed by heavy metals of mercury, nickel, and cadmium inherent with a typical cigarette. The cigarette substitute of this invention helps to quit smoking and eliminates the poisons from the blood stream of a pre-smokers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the pre-treatment steps of this invention.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of pre-treatment steps of this invention.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the other embodiment of pre-treatment steps of this invention.

[0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of fourth embodiment of pre-treatment steps of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] As shown in the FIG. 1, the schematic drawing of the procedure, the pre-treatment procedure of this invention consists of: 1) washing; 2) 1^(st) drying; 3) steaming; and 4) 2^(nd) drying.

[0018] In step 1), leaves of the Morus alba L., Synurus deltoids, Berchemia berchemiaefolia, and Eucomonia ulmoides gathered from the mountain area of Korea and China are washed with purified water at ambient temperature to eliminate dirt on the surface. Passing through a bed packed with marbles, sands, and charcoal purifies the water used in this step. Temperature of the water is maintained between 10 to 50° C. In step 2), washed leaves are dried in a drying chamber, which is maintained at temperature between 30 and 45° C. by blowing hot air. Dried leaves containing moistures of 25 to 40 wt % are transferred to the next step. Step 3) is to kill the bacteria in the leaves. Leaves from the step 2) are exposed to a hot air steam of 100 to 120° C., 1 to 1.2 atm for 0.1 to 4 hours. In step 4), the leaves from the step 3) are dried again for maintaining the moisture contents from 5 to 25 wt %. Drying chamber for this step is, including but not limited to, the drier illustrated in step 2). The leaves treated following the procedure described above are introduced to commercial tobacco packing lines, which consist of cutting, mixing, wrapping, and packing procedures.

[0019]FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of pre-treatment steps of this invention. This process is comprised of: 2-1) washing; and 2-2) drying.

[0020] In washing step 2-1), the leaves of Morus alba L., Synurus deltoids, Berchemia berchemiaefolia, and Eucomonia ulmoides gathered from the mountain areas of Korea and China are washed with purified water at an ambient temperature to extract volatile components from the leaves. Purified water, passed though a bed packed with marbles, sands, and charcoal is used in this step. Temperature of the water in this step is in the range of 10 to 50° C. Washing time is in the range of 0.5 to 100 hours. In step 2-2), the washed leaves are dried in a drying chamber, which is maintained at a temperature between 20 to 40° C. by blowing hot air through. The dried leaves containing a moisture of 1 to 20 wt % are transferred to the next step. Leaves treated following the procedure described above are introduced to a commercial tobacco packing lines, which have cutting, mixing, wrapping, and packing procedures.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the other embodiment of pre-treatment steps of this invention. This process is comprised of: 3-1) steaming; 3-2) washing; and 3-3) drying.

[0022] Step 3-1) steaming step is to kill the bacteria in the leaves. The collected leaves are exposed to a hot air steam of 100 to 120° C., 1 to 1.2 atm for 30 seconds to 4 hours. In step 3-2), the leaves of Morus alba L., Synurus deltoids, Berchemia berchemiaefolia, and Eucomonia ulmoides gathered from the mountain areas of Korea and China are washed with purified water at an ambient temperature to extract volatile components from the leaves. Purified water, passed though a bed packed with marbles, sands, and charcoal is used in this step. Temperature of the water in this step is in the range of 10 to 50° C. Washing time is in the range of 0.5 to 100 hours. In step 3-3), washed leaves are dried in a drying chamber, which is maintained at a temperature between 20 to 40° C. by blowing a hot air. Dried leaves containing moistures of 1 to 20 wt % are transferred to the next step. The leaves treated following the procedure described above are introduced to commercial tobacco packing lines, which have cutting, mixing, wrapping, and packing procedures.

[0023]FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the fourth embodiment of the pre-treatment steps of this invention. This process is comprised of: 4-1) drying; 4-2) washing; and 4-3) drying.

[0024] In the drying step of 4-1), leaves of the Morus alba L., Synurus deltoids, Berchemia berchemiaefolia, and Eucomonia ulmoides gathered from the mountain areas of Korea and China are dried in a drying chamber, which is maintained at a temperature between 30 to 45° C. by blowing hot air through. The dried leaves containing a moisture of 25 to 40 wt % are transferred to the next step. In the washing step of 4-2), the leaves from step 4-1) are washed with purified water at an ambient temperature to extract any volatile components from the leaves. The purified water, passed though a bed packed with marbles, sands, and charcoal is used for cleaning. The temperature of the water in this step is in the range of 10 to 50° C. The washing time is in the range of 0.5 to 100 hours. In the drying step of 4-3) the leaves from the step 4-2) are dried again for maintaining a moisture content of 5 to 25 wt %. 

What is claimed is
 1. A procedure of pre-treatment of nicotine free cigarette substitute raw materials, consisting of four steps of: 1) washing with purified water; 2) 1^(st) drying in a drying chamber; 3) steaming with hot air steam; and 4) 2^(nd) drying, is followed by a packing as typical commercial cigarette, emitting no grade “A” carcinogenic from the smoke when consumed, which tastes and smells just like commercial cigarette, the raw material being shredded leaves of Morus alba L. 1354MI, Synurus deltoids (MIT) NAKAI 3822G1, Berchemia berchemiaefolia (MAK). K01DZ, 2635 MI, Eucomonia ulmodies OLIVER, 2003M1, and herbs for specific flavor.
 2. The washing in step 1), in claim 1, is excuted for 0.5 to 100 hous.
 3. The purified water, in claim 1, in step 1), is prepared by regular water passing through a bed packed with marbles, sands, and charcoal.
 4. The purified water, in claim 1, in step 1), has a temperature in the range of 10 to 50° C.
 5. The drying chamber, in claim 1, in step 2), is maintained at a temperature between 30 to 45° C. by blowing hot air through.
 6. The steaming step, in claim 1, in step 3), utilizes a steam of temperature ranging from 100 to 120° C.
 7. The steaming step, in claim 1, in step 3), utilizes steam of a pressure from 1 to 1.2 atm.
 8. The steaming step, in claim 1, in step 3), applies the steam for 30 seconds to 4 hours.
 9. The moisture content in the leaves after the 2^(nd) drying, in claim 1, in step 4), is maintained between 5 to 25 wt %.
 10. The procedure of pre-treatment, in which, the step 3), steaming with hot steam, and 4), 2^(nd) drying, in claim 1, is eliminated.
 11. The procedure of pre-treatment, in which step 3) steaming with hot steam, in claim 1, comes first, and step 1) washing with purified water comes second, followed by step 2,) 1^(st) drying, in a drying chamber.
 12. The procedure of pre-treatment, in which the step 2), 1^(st) drying, in a drying chamber, in claim 1, comes first and the step 1), washing with purified water, comes second, followed by the step 4), the 2^(nd) drying. 